leaven
/ˈlɛv.ən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.32 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any agent used to make dough rise or to have a similar effect on baked goods.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Anything that induces change, especially a corrupting or vitiating change.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod."
- "On the far side was reflected a single red and meteoric cloud, which had treasured one last crimson ray from the sunset, or perhaps nursed within it the fiery leaven."
- "The leaven of insincerity worked through all the fibres of his being."
- "On the fourteenth day of Nisan men search for leaven by candlelight."
- "Yeast is used to leaven bread, making it rise during baking."
- "Duke. No more euasion: We haue with a leauen'd, and prepared choice Proceeded to you; therefore take your honors:[...]"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *h₁léngʰusder. ▲ Proto-Italic *breɣʷisinflu.? Proto-Italic *leɣʷis Latin levis Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin levō Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Italic *-mn̥ Latin -men Vulgar Latin *levāmender. Old French levainbor. Middle English levayn English leaven From Middle English levayn, borrowed from Old French levain, from Vulgar Latin *levāmen, a noun based on Latin levō (“raise”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈlɛv.ən/
- British English: /ˈlɛv.ən/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Food.